‘A spontaneous solo suite interspersing touches of the blues and folksong lyricism between pieces of polyrhythmic and harmonic complexity… one of his very finest performances. An attentive and appreciative audience hangs on every note, every nuance, and is rewarded with some tender encores including a magical version of It’s A Lonesome Old Town.’

Enjoyably odd, wrong folk rock with baroque touches, from 1968. Jarrett plays everything — guitar, harmonica, soprano saxophone, recorder, piano, organ, electric bass, drums, tambourine and sistra — adding a string quartet here and there. He also sings, though it’s better when he doesn’t. Nearly all the tracks are two to three minutes.

Tangily raw and fresh piano-trio jazz from 1974.
The title track and Triangle are ace, funky jazz-dance. The Journey is gnarlier funk. Robyn’s Lullaby and Nothing New are hazier, evocative, impressionistic.
Tiny pressing.

Wildly compelling tapestry of free jazz, dubby electronics, marimba grooves, funk, blues and African folk, recorded in Philadelphia in 1972.
‘My ancestors eventually show up in my music every time I play. I’ve always said that my backyard is Africa.’

The vibraphonist leading an outstanding trio session with Johnny Dyani and Leroy Lowe. Ace versions of Equinox and Body And Soul, and six chewy, moody originals.

Fat, glorious mid-seventies South African afro-jazz classic from the vaults of As-shams.

The house drummer of the Flamingo jazz club throughout the fifties, presenting a 1961 date featuring Tubbs and Jimmy Deuchar. Vibes-player Bill Le Sage leads the gorgeous ballad World Of Blue.

With Jaki Byard, Richard Williams, and Elvin Jones at Van Gelder’s in 1965 — a wildly brilliant mixture of homage and experimentation, New Orleans manzello, noise, Middle Eastern vibes, modal grooving… Unmissable.

Raw, blue, and sensational, with Kirk playing the tenor sax, manzello, and stritch simultaneously. Originally released by King in 1956, entitled Triple Threat.

A quartet featuring Andrew Hill, stretching out on selections from Kirk’s recent LPs Domino and We Free Kings. The original WKCR-FM broadcast, properly restored and remastered.

From one of his most creative periods, leading the Vibration Society — Ron Burton, Dick Griffin, Jerome Cooper and co — through one-of-a-kind, freewheeling, radiant wonders like The Inflated Tear (about his going blind) and Volunteered Slavery. Stevie’s My Cherie Amour pops up, trailering next year’s Blacknuss LP.
Kirk called it all ‘black classical music’.

Originally released by Gallo in 1974, this is a raw, impassioned, stunning set led by bop pianist Kirk Lightsey (a regular sideman for Chet Baker) and saxophonist Rudolph Johnson (from Black Jazz), on a break from touring South Africa with Detroit crooner Lovelace Watkins.
A heavy-duty excursion into post-Coltrane spiritual modernism, ranging from the modal, cerebral intensity of the side-long title track Habiba, to the downhome breakbeat groove of There It Is, and the dark glitter of minor-key waltz Fresh Air. Long one of the most desired global jazz LPs, and never before available outside South Africa, Habiba is a forgotten masterpiece of its era.